Asher "Mad Eye" Croft
Introduction A Male Cheshire Cat of signature renown of the Southern Seas, a Pirate Captain of the Confederacy of the Coast and owner of The Fortune's Navigator. Known under the alias of "The Mad Eye," "The Ghost Captain of Bliss," "The Mad Cat of Wonderland." A mercenary who fights freely for who pays the highest bidding, be it the Order, Demon Lord or an Independent Party. Swears unhindered vengeance on Druella the Lilim and those who serve her machinations. He wields an artifact in place of his left eye in which Druella forcibly embedded into his ocular that first took shape of a ceremonial knife before taking shape of a replacement eye. The eye when coming into view of anything within its view of awareness conjures the victim to relive his most traumatic memories. To prevent himself from being a victim of his own curse sneezing, attempting to sleep, he severs his eyelid from the artifact before binding it with a bandana to shroud its field of vision. Utilizing this curse Asher's body becomes incorporeal, allowing him to dematerialize both in invisibility and in the physical matter without needing ties to Wonderland. Leading to most to calling him a Ghost Captain of the Southern Seas. Childhood The Son of Alasander Croft a Provisional Admiral of Wonderland (A position in which serves the Red Queen in terms of administration of ports amongst Merchants.) And Saria Croft a Human Order Mage turned Cheshire Cat who picked up an occupation as a village cobbler in Bliss, the hometown of the immediate Croft family within Wonderland. Asher's childhood is one of safety and unhindered happiness. The years of peace within his village cultivated a sense of adventure beyond his home which his sister Lucia Croft shares along with Dandelion Renard whom he considers a brother by a bond of friendship. It is on the cliff above the village of Bliss overlooking the Bay of Manicopolis where an old cedar tree resides under which Asher, Lucia and Dandelion played in unison of adventures of imagination. It was within Asher's ambition to take a commission under the Demon Lord's navy to Captain a ship upon an Expedition. A dream which his father vehemently opposes despite his own career as an Admiral. At the age of 14, Asher happenstances upon Ellaris, an Order Shepherd of St. Amalr monastical order of monks who sacrifices their eyes for the insight of their entire lives who stumbled weakened and blindly without knowledge of a cliff she was about to traverse over. Asher is crippled by the Shepherd's enchanted bell which disorients Mamano by the sound of its ring. Asher is about to escape only to see the Shepherd gripping for dear life upon the cliff overlooking the shallows of the bay. She is saved but only by the intervention of the Saria Croft and Bliss Townguard who were alerted by Asher's sister upon noticing the bell's effects upon hearing it. A trial was held for the crime of attacking a youth to which Asher testified the events before the Mayor and Arbiter of Law. When it was decided the crime was committed Ellaris was sentenced to a month and a half of the pillory within the town square, to be fed whatever the townsfolk offered in charity or the minimum slop that is given. Asher was betaken by the strange and beautiful women and despite the warnings of his family and the irritated annoyance of Ellaris grew with an abundant hatred for all Mamano, he took what scraps of food for leftovers for Ellaris to eat in exchange of stories outside of Wonderland. A week into her capture and Ellaris asks what Asher wanted, the reason for his charity as she finds his kindness suspicious as given the sole teachings of the Order the corruption and foulness of all monster-kind. When told of his dream of exploring the islands of the Southern Seas and to cave out his own destiny as a famous explorer, Ellaris found his dream to be almost deceptively too human for him to be sincere or too naive for it to be genuine. It wasn't long before Lucia took turns for feeding Ellaris in place of Asher that she could confirm his intentions with her. One day while Lucia is out picking mushrooms in the forest, she is caught in a netting trap to be captured by Jabberwocks with the intention of politically extorting Alasander Croft for leverage in his standing amongst the Admiralcy. Namely his oversight lack of oversight for certain vessels that make their way into the Ports of Wonderland for instance; smugglers or contraband on official vessels. Asher witnesses the Jabberwocks carrying Lucia kicking and screaming and while Saria is petitioning the mayor for assistance in finding her, Asher runs to the one person he knows is capable of hunting down these monsters. He promises Ellaris a good word in exchange for the help in finding his sister and defeating whoever kidnapped her. Ellaris was originally hesitant because the Shepherd Order was expecting her return from by sea a month ago by this point, she was not sure she would have even been welcomed back for fear of corruption that was rampant in monster-kind. Even if she was set free and could make a run for it, there was no guarantee she could make it and for it to be worth it or if she came back it wouldn't be worse for her. However, she felt an obligation towards the Croft family, even a hint of affection for someone who was so kind to her when no one else in the town was. Breaking the padlock of the pillory and taking the confiscated weapons of the Shepherd and some grenados from the town guardhouse, they set off into the woods. Together Ellaris and Asher hunted down the Jabberwock to a series of underground tunnel networks that ran underneath the mushroom forest's underbrush where the roots of trees and giant plants hunted for water to siphon. Within the center of the cave networks, they discovered a spherical opening in which Lucia was kept in a cage cell, crying for help. A simple plan was plotted by the two; Ellaris would utilize her share of grenados and shake the hive of Jabberwocks to chase her away while Asher used his grenados to break open the cage door before taking Lucia by the hand for their quick get-away. The execution was perfect but Asher and Lucia were discovered mid-escape by the Jabberwock in charge of the scheme against his family. When attempting invisibility and running, Asher was caught by his tail and kicked into the ceiling of the tunnel complex before gripped by his clothes and thrown to the floor before kicking into the wall. Utilizing the last of his grenados and running back to the center of the complex Asher double-backed only to find Ellaris wounded but otherwise successful in defeating the Jabberwock cronies. Asher taking up a dagger alongside Ellaris who fought together only for her wounded state to take it's toll with Asher's inexperience proving it's worth, the Jabberwock Leader is about to cleave Asher's head in two with a sword but it stabbed behind his kneecap with a knife unexpectedly from Lucia before Asher tackled him over the cave cliff, causing the Jabberwock's head to land against the stone as he landed. Though unconscious Asher's fear gripped the better of him, taking a rock over his head and slammed it down against his head, ultimately killing the ring-leader of kidnappers. Asher, Ellaris, and Lucia return to the village, both kids who were shaken by the ordeal with Ellaris ensuring to the best of her ability no wild mamano would intercept them. With the children back and with Ellaris returning to the custody of the guard soon found herself free three days later by decree of the village folk. Though the events of what happened in the cave were relayed to Saria and Alasander arrived with soldiers from the Capital to scour the whole forest down. Alasander scolded him heavily for his reckless behavior only to stopped by Saria who argued on his behalf of the result he produced and that Alasander's occupation away from home attributed no less to the crisis that it took just as long to assemble a force to the village than it did bringing Lucia here. Saria's tolerance for Alasander's occupation far from home and his suppression of Asher's dream reached an end and lectured him in front of the retinue of soldiers to let Asher establish his independence. Alasander and Asher reconcile their differences and for the first time, Asher was allowed aboard his father's vessel which would dock for the evening before his father and the ship would return to Manicopolis. Similarly that night Ellaris intercepted him on the way back home for a more private discussion with what occurred in the cave. Asher who was distraught with emotion for having killed someone in such a way was beyond him and he worried what he did would change him forever, crying into Ellaris's shoulders before their hug was parted and his lips were kissed, causing his sadness and fear to dissipate from the realization of what Ellaris felt for him. A night of passion was shared before Asher returned to the family home looking more himself but more colorful in presence. Ziledo Academy At the age of 17 Alasander returns home with an esteemed guest from the Demon Lord's Capital of Ziledo. An Owl Mage by the name of Ledetchko Alexandria, direct advisor to the Demon Lord and Headmaster of the esteemed Academy of the Demon Lords' who takes an interest in the Admiral's son and in the hopes of Asher becoming an applicant for the Academy in which the talented and nobility converge to learn, train and compete for lucrative positions within the Demon Lord's Kingdom. Though Asher is quick to insert himself, Alasander was just as quick to turn down her offer. It was then revealed at length that Alasander himself went to the same Academy Ledetchko herself infact to gain the rank of Major for one of the Expedition Fleets that Asher wishes to enjoin. At first Asher is furious until it is revealed to him that people die in this Academy, and people die on these expeditions, that this process is by no means safe and it was Alasander's wish and efforts that all he contributed would maintain a safe place for his family. However it was when Saria Croft from the kitchen was peering at Alasander with a wooden spoon in hand with the threat of punishment for going back against his word on Asher maintaining his independence, he relented and allowed Asher the opportunity to attend the Academy ... without paying for his room and board. Alasander maintained the reasoning that if Asher wanted something he would have to work for it, not strive fully within his passions for the sole subject of his dreams. Ledtechko quickly offered Asher a place he could stay as she Alasander knew of another who attended the Academy who would accommodate his stay in Ziledo. After his goodbyes to his family Asher departed with Ledetchko with many questions about his Father and his time at the Academy and it was revealed to Asher that his Father was an Officer Major in the Expedition Fleet for the Demon Lord where she Ledetchko and Nakamura Awano Dad and a Shiba Inu Kobald Scientist named Hitch Iwami were members of a task force to survey and research these foreign islands. His mother, Saria Croft was a Human Mage amongst the researchers the Order sent amongst their Expeditions who fell in love with Alasander during their joint cooperation to explore the Southern Islands. His arrival to the Academy along with Dandelion's is marked with the arriva Relationships Alasander Croft - Father - Conflicted with paternal affection but often opposing views as he was not always present during his time growing up. Respects his skill and dedication in the hopes to do better than he has. Saria Croft - Mother - The most endeared of his parents as he sends some of the money he makes back to her in exchange for shoes she invents in which he writes feedback for her amidst tales of his journies Lucia Croft - Sister {Deceased} - The younger sister of Asher and a companion through his childhood in which they shared similar dreams of exploring the Southern Islands, a motivation of his hatred for Druella when she plummeted to her death on the same cliff they played on when they were children. Ellaris Mizua - Lover {Deceased} - A Shepherd for the Order who appears and disappears in and out of Asher's life during his childhood and years at the Academy. Murdered by Druella when she refused to kill Asher right before his own eyes. Sebastian Falcus - Friend/Advsior - Dandelion Renard - Friend - A fellow Cheshire Son to the Duke of Cheshires who is friends with Alasander and likewise with Asher. Like Lucia he shares a dream with Asher to become a fellow explorer with him. A bard of notable skill, frightful fist-fighter, and a successful ladies man. Fival Faravan - Friend?/Rival?/Lover?/??? - A Manticore Noble with a strange tendency to go against norms of society even against her own family. Becomes a Pirate Captain after breaking ties with the Demon Lord. It is never really established what she has towards Asher, first, it was an abhorrence to him during his years at the Academy, then affection towards the end, then friends before switching around them. Marie Havarl - Partner - A Ratatoskr Thief and Spy for the Demon Lord, often found scheming with Asher on how to make money for themselves and how to build a criminal empire amongst pirates. A known kleptomaniac with a devious streak. Petyr Alistel - Engineer - A Gremlin Magi-Tech Engineer whose pride and joy is maintaining Asher's vessel the Fortune's Navigator. Notably Feminine appearance but retains he has no interest in men. Enjoys collecting toys experiment and cards a hobby. Nyma Struhlheim - Friend - A Wurm Viking Shieldmaiden and Quartermaster for Asher's pirate band. Asher often confides in Nyma in regards to the needs and wants of those who associate with them. Often seen as the motherly figure of the gang, until she breaks out the whip for lack of proficiency. Zalir (Song Upon Gilded Wings) - Friend - A Royal Griffon, Shaman of her people's tribe. An apothecary when she is not traveling with Asher and a Mamano of unconventional magical talent as her abilities coincides with Voodoo. While Asher trusts her skills he is often hesitant to go to her as a physician. Ariana of the Warclaw - Friend/Rival - A Warrior Princess of her Jinko Clan, a headstrong warrior with an aggression streak against those she considers worthy opponents. Sees Asher's pirate band as a faction to grow stronger under. Often challenges Asher for both herself and himself to grow stronger.